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Commissioners Corner
Grants awarded;
Sheriff Dept. upgrade
The end of June means that the year is at its halfway point. It is hard
to conceive that 2015 is on the downhill slide to 2016 already! The
good news is we have had more than ample rain for our farmers, the corn
looks really good, some bean fields have had some flooding problems,
but all in all, this looks like a good crop year. Since we are one of
the best agricultural counties in the Midwest, rain and sunshine are
important hallmarks for the month of June, and so far we aren’t doing
too bad.
This has been a good month in the Commissioner’s office. Our Solid
Waste department funded a 2-day Environmental Law Enforcement workshop
for all law enforcement officials. The workshop was funded through a
grant from the Environmental Education and Charitable trust. This
$13,000 grant was just one of many that Krista Fourman and Melissa
Werling have gotten in the last several years. Great Job by one of the
best departments in the State! C.H.I.P. (Community Housing Improvement
Program) grants have been awarded to several people in the County.
Jayne McNutt, the coordinator of the program is doing a good job
helping those in need. If you have any questions, contact Jayne at
(937) 547-7368.
The Sheriff’s office is in the process of receiving upgrades to
computers and servers in their office. The Commissioners approved a
$110,000 transfer to cover the cost. This is just one of many computer
and communication upgrades that are to be done in the next few years.
As expensive as this will be, it is still more than worth it to have
our county law enforcement and safety personnel have every tool they
need to protect themselves and us. These upgrades to communication will
benefit all law enforcement, emergency medical personnel, and fire
departments in the county. This will continue to be a priority in our
office, as public safety is the most important job we have. The Darke
County Visitors Bureau has a new director, Matthew Staugler. Matthew
takes over for the departing Deanna York, as she is moving on to some
newer pastures. Thanks Deanna for all the years of good work, and
Welcome to Matthew! The South Industrial park behind the Sheriff’s
office and the County home is getting ready to see some dirt being
moved. O.D.O.T is scheduled to start their new facility at the corner
of 127 and 49 soon, and we hope to announce another addition to the
park shortly. Tom’s Construction was awarded the contract to do the
water and sewer line extensions, and to do the road construction. The
approximate cost will be $1.4 million for all the work.
Work continues in Darke County as it is also asphalt and chip and seal
season in the County. Our engineer Jim Surber, along with Shane Coby
and the crew are overseeing the asphalt laying, and continuing with
mowing, and bridge and culvert work. Our County garage people do some
great work, and they do it efficiently and usually under budget. When
you see them working, please be careful and make sure they stay safe as
they perform a service to make our roads and bridges the best in the
State. Thanks to Shane and the crew for a job very well done! You may
have noticed that Nealeigh Plastering is putting on a new face at the
Wagner Avenue Government Plaza. This $50,000 plus renovation is needed
to take care of some water infiltration problems. This will put a
really good face on the Plaza and make it look much better.
Economic activity continues to progress in the County. With Whirlpool,
The New Koenig John Deere Dealer, and the awarding of a permit to
operate for U.S. Aerobotix in Gettysburg, (our first high-tech company
using drones!) shows that economic activity here is thriving. We still
have many jobs available, and if you need a job or know someone who is,
you can always find what you are looking for by going to
www.hometownopportunity.com. You can even post your resume’ there for
companies to see! Tell everyone you know about this great website and
help us fill all the job openings we have.
You are always welcome at our public meetings. We meet at 1:30 p.m. on
Mondays and Wednesdays in the Commissioner’s office located at 520 S.
Broadway next to the Courthouse in Greenville. Come on in and find out
what is happening in Darke County! Hope to see you there!
The Darke County Commissioners
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